The Moment I Said It
by xotayxo
Summary: Niley. Four Shot. Song is The Moment I Said It by Imogen Heap. I suggest you listen to the song to understand where i was coming from with this! M to be safe
1. Chapter 1

just a song fic that came to me randomly. song is The Moment I Said It by Imogen Heap. such a good song!

Characters: Miley Stewart, Nick Grey, and Jake Ryan.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not the characters, nor the song.**

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_The moment I said it  
The moment I opened my mouth_

"I hate you! Why did I marry you?" she cries, bursting into tears.

_The lead in your eyelids  
Bulldozed the life out of me_

She sees the fire in his eyes, and instantly regrets her words.  
"You hate me? Do you? I'm the one you fucking married, the one you gave everything to, and now you hate me?" his voice is deathly low, shaking with rage.

_I know what you're thinking  
But darling, you're not thinking straight  
Suddenly, things just happen we can't...explain_

She is at a loss for words. "I know what you're thinking, but I can explain."

_It's not even light out  
But you've somewhere to be_

"Where are you going so late at night?" she inquires, but he throws a dirty look at her before replying, "It's none of your business."

_No hesitations  
No I've never seen you like this  
And I don't like you, I don't like you, I don't like you at all_

He comes home one night, slamming the door, almost knocking it off the hinges.  
"Please, just stop! You're scaring me," she yells, throwing herself out of his way, as he starts to chase after her.

_Just put back the car keys  
Or somebody's gonna get hurt_

She wrestles the keys from his hands, throwing them out the open window.  
"You're not going anywhere."

_Who are you calling at this hour?  
Sit down, come round, I need you now  
We'll work it all out together  
But we're getting nowhere tonight_

"Come on, come to bed, we'll talk in the morning."

_Now sleep, I promise it'll all seem better somehow  
And I'm..._

_It's not even light out  
Suddenly (suddenly) you've somewhere to be  
No hesitations  
I've never seen you like this  
You're scaring me, you're scaring me, you're scaring me to death_

He pushes her up against a wall, kissing her roughly. She tries to break free, screaming, "You're scaring me. Just STOP!" He starts to hit her, his hands leaving imprints, his fists leaving bruises.

_Don't! ohhh...SMASH  
Please don't (not another one)  
Don't! ohhh...SMASH  
Please don't (not another one)_

Her eyes widen in horror as he picks up a glass vase. She ducks, narrowly avoiding the vase hitting the wall behind her. She runs away from him to their bedroom, locking the door, tossing herself into the corner, crying, her hands over her ears as she listens to him throw various objects around the house.

_Not another one.  
I'm losing you....SMASH I'm losing you_

"Come back here, you worthless piece of shit," he yells, stumbling over his own two feet looking for her. She can smell the alcohol on his breath, and she hides in the bathroom, locking the door.

_Trust me on this one  
I've got a bad feeling  
Trust me on this one  
No hesitations_

Acting completely on instinct, she opens the window and wriggles her body through it. Thin though she was, she made herself even thinner just to please him. Her wedding ring catches on the ledge, slipping off her finger. It rolls off the ledge and onto the counter, coming to a rest on its side. Her body slams into the bushes underneath the window, and instantly she starts running. Running to the only person who ever cared about her. In no time at all, she is standing in front the house that contained her one true love, her best friend, the boy who broke her heart. She walks to his balcony, climbing the stairs with heavy feet. Her body aches with tiredness and pain. She raps on the door, waking and startling the boy sleeping in the bed. He opens the door, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Miley?" he questions. "What happened to you?" He hesitates to reach for her, afraid she will break at the slightest touch. He notices the bruises and cuts on her body; her left hand devoid of any ring. "Nick," she manages to stutter out, "I love you. I never stopped. Please keep me safe from him," before collapsing against his body, her own shaking with uncontrollable sobs.

_Smash......_

A howl of rage can be heard from 3 blocks away, as Jake Ryan discovers his wife missing, the bathroom window open, and a diamond ring sitting on the counter, glittering in the moonlight.

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Random one-shot song fic I thought of in school, but finished at 11 'o' clock at night. like it? hate it?


	2. Chapter 2

Just to clarify ages:

Miley, Nick and Lilly-20  
Joe and Jake(from 1st chapter)-23  
Kevin and Danielle-25

**Disclaimer: Sigh.... I wish....**

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Nick Grey sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at the beautiful young woman occupying his bed. She had finally stopped crying around 1 a.m., and he had convinced her to change into some of his clothes and sleep here. There was no way in hell he was letting her go back home, with him. She had collapsed, exhausted, in his bed and was sound asleep within seconds.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. How was he going to explain this to his mother when he saw her for dinner? Even more, how was he going to explain this to his brothers? He couldn't just leave Miley alone, not after what she went through. He felt bad that he wasn't there to protect her, even though he broke her heart. She was his first love, and his only love. It took him everything he owned to move on with his life. He remembered the day she sent him a wedding invitation, and he remembered sitting in his house on that day, knowing he wouldn't have been able to stand watching her betrothed to someone else.

He made her a promise: FOREVER. And he had proceeded to break that promise into a tiny million pieces, along with shattering her heart into a thousand pieces.

He looked down to his left hand, which held his purity ring. Memories flashed through his mind as he remembered the night she gave him her virginity. It was 4 years after they had started dating and it was when they were lying tangled in his bed that he promised her forever. A promise made, a promise broken.

Slowly tugging the sterling silver ring off of his finger, he reached for her left hand. Carefully, without waking her, he slid it onto her ring finger. It was rightfully hers, and it did no good for him to live behind a lie.

He glanced over at his digital clock, the numbers glowing red in the darkness. 2:30. He had been up since 11 p.m. comforting her. Being very gentle, he climbed into the double bed next to her, pulling the blankets over his body. She stirred, rolling over to open her eyes. "Jake?" she whispered, terrified, as her blue eyes locked with his brown ones. He shook his head. "No Miles, it's me. Nick. You're safe. Go back to sleep baby." He placed his arms around her tiny waist, pulling her closer to him. She snuggled into the warmth of his body, resting her head in the crook of his neck. He breathed in the scent of her hair he still remembered after a year; honey, vanilla, and something unfamiliar. He heard her breathing even out as her weary body drifted into sleep once more. He closed his eyes, waiting for the morning to come, thanking Fate for intervening in his life when he needed it most.

She woke up a little while later, entangled in unfamiliar arms, in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room. She shifted slightly, and in doing so, caught a glimpse of the person whose arms were around her. She stifled a small gasp. She was wrapped up in the arms of her first and only true love. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes as her own eyes traced over the features that she had fallen in love with. She didn't move a muscle because she didn't want to wake him. Instead, she silently watched him as his eyes moved back and forth, dreaming, occasionally touching his cheek or stroking his hair. She had a hard time understanding that this was not a dream, but reality.

He woke up to familiar blue eyes staring at him, and his arms wrapped around her waist. She was playing with his hair, like she used to do when they would lie for hours in his bed, talking. Noticing he was awake, she moved her hand to stroke his cheek tenderly, looking into his gorgeous eyes. He subconsciously leaned into her warm touch, his eyes fluttering closed as her remembered lying in bed next to her. She moved her hand after a minute, and asked, "How did I get here?" He sighed and rolled onto his back, and she shifted onto her belly, allowing him to release his arms from her waist. He freed one arm, leaving the other one protectively on the small of her back. "You came here around 11 last night. You told me that you never stopped loving me, and asked me to keep you safe from Jake. Then you collapsed, crying. I stayed up with you while you cried. You stopped crying around 1 a.m. and I convinced you to sleep here. You fell asleep the minute you hit my bed."

She smiled. "Your bed has always been comfy. I missed it." She sat up and leaned against the headboard, smiling contentedly. As she did so, she noticed that she was in a pair of his sweatpants and his t-shirt. She blushed ever so slightly. He averted his eyes from hers and his cheeks turned crimson.

"Sorry, you were half asleep when I changed you. I didn't want you to sleep in jeans."

"Hey," she tipped his chin up, "I don't mind. I'd rather it be you than anyone else in this world."

He rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked over at his clock. 9:30. He remembered he made lunch plans with his brothers at 12:00. He really didn't mind having to cancel them; he wanted to figure out what happened to her and why.

"Give me 10 minutes. I have to make a few phone calls. You can go shower if you want."

She smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. His skin tingled where she kissed him. She walked into the bathroom and softly shut the door behind her.

He ran a hand through his hair once more and went to his nightstand. Picking up his house phone, he dialed the familiar number of his childhood home. A few rings later, the voice of his mother filled his ear.

"Hello?"

**"Hey Mom, it's Nick."**

Denise's voice softened instantly. "Oh Nicholas, how are you? It's been a while."

He laughed.** "Mom, it's only been a few days."**

She chuckled. "Well maybe I'm overreacting."

**"Anyways, about dinner tonight--"**

"Don't you go canceling on me, young man! Unless you have a date, then by all means go. Heaven knows how long its been since you've been on a date. But other than that, your butt will be at my dinner table at 4:30 p.m. sharp!"

He laughed again. **"No Mom, I'm not cancelling. I wanted to know if I could bring someone. Someone you haven't seen in a while."**

"Is it Miley?"

**"Mom, how do you do that?"**

"Do what?"

**"Never mind, yes, I'm bringing Miley. I'd rather not tell you over the phone, but she needs my help. I don't want to leave her alone."**

"But I thought you were the one who broke her heart...."

**"I know I was, you don't have to remind me. But this just came up. I'll explain when I get there."**

"Alright. Feel free to come over early. I miss Miley.

**"Okay Mom. Love you."**

"Love you too."

He hung up the phone and decided to text his brothers and cancel lunch.

_hey joe. its nick._

Sup little bro?

_nothing. hey I gotta cancel lunch today. something came up._

nickyyyy!! you promised!

_I know. You'll find out later._

He prayed that Kevin would be a little bit more understanding.

_hey kevin. its nick._

Whats up fro bro?

_not much. look I gotta cancel today. something came up._

no prob. See you dinner?

_Yeah. I'll be there._

He walked back into his bedroom and found her sitting on his bed, freshly showered, looking through an old photo album of the two of them.

His eyes traced over her body. He noted how thin she looked in her clothes; she managed to find a t-shirt and sweatpants of her own from the countless times she stayed over. When she had worn them before, she had more muscle and her skin still had a glow from the Malibu sun. Now, she barely filled out her clothes; the t-shirt hung on her lank frame, and her skin was pale.

He went and sat behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder with one arm around her waist. As she flipped through the pictures, she remembered what it was like to be happy.

She stopped on one particular picture. The two of them were standing in the foyer of his parents house, his arms around her waist, hers laced around his neck. He had just given her a kiss that had taken her breath away, and as he rested his forehead against hers, they both looked in each others eyes and smiled. His mom, unbeknownst to the couple, had snapped the picture and presented it to her later that night. She smiled, a single tear coming to her eye, trailing down her cheek before someone wiped it away.

She shook her head and continued flipping through the pictures. She stopped on one of the two of them at the beach. She was on his back, and he was spinning her around.

"I remember Joe was cracking up when he took this picture." he said softly, and she leaned back into him.

"All I remember was hanging onto you for dear life," she said, looking into his eyes, a smile gracing her face.

Without thinking, he leaned in, and softly brushed his lips against hers. He didn't feel her respond, so he started to pull away when he felt her hand on the nape of his neck, pulling him back in. Once he pulled away for good, he averted his eyes in shame.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

She too looked down, wrapping her arms around her body.

"No, it's okay. You didn't mean to. I should be the one apologizing."

He looked back at her to find her fingering the hem of the blanket.

"Apologizing for what?"

"For coming here in the middle of the night. For waking you up. Hell, for even thinking that you would take me back."

She looked up at him, her eyes full of guilt.

"Are you ready to tell me what caused this?" he asked her, his own brown eyes full of concern.

She took a deep breath and sat back against the pillows. He copied her, turning his body to face her.

"I don't like talking about this, but after we broke up, I started talking to him again. We went on a few dates before he officially asked me to be his girlfriend. Don't get me wrong, I still loved you, and I still do, but since I couldn't have you, I went to him. We dated for 6 months before he asked me to marry him. That was about a year ago. I figured he would help me get over you. But oh, how wrong I was." He didn't say anything as she paused, so she continued her story.

"Once we were married, I moved into his house. Everything was okay for a while. At least that's what I made him think. On the outside, I was his little trophy wife, one that stood by him at his many premieres. On the inside, though, I was a mess. I cried myself to sleep every night. He once accused me of cheating while he was away filming a movie, and that's when everything started. He abused me both verbally and physically. He always made me feel less than anyone else. He always compared me to other women and told me they were prettier than me. That's what caused me to start throwing up everything I ate. I wanted to please him. But it was never enough.

"Last night, he came home drunk from I don't even know where. He started kissing me, so I pushed him away. He then picked up a vase and threw it at me, but he missed. He grabbed me, pinning me against a wall, and started hitting me." Her eyes filled with tears. "I ran away from him to our bedroom, and then our bathroom. I locked the door and then went out through the window. My wedding ring caught on the ledge and fell off."

She looked down to her left hand. Her eyes were bright with curiosity and bewilderment, and she looked over to him.

"How did this--?"  
He quickly reached over and took the ring off her hand.

"I wanted to give it to you after that night. I did break my promise, but to me it doesn't matter because I love you. I'm glad my first time was with you, because only you could have made it so special to me. It is rightfully yours, and it's no good for me to live behind a lie," he said, playing with the ring in his hand.

She took the ring back from him and slipped it back onto her ring finger on her left hand.

"I'd rather wear this than my wedding ring." He smiled a little at that, and her face lit up when he smiled.

"So," he said, "would you like to come to dinner with me at my parents house? I called over there already and my mom said was alright. She misses you."

"I'd love to. I miss seeing your family."

He looked at the clock. Noon. They had been talking for more than 2 hours.

"I'm going to go shower, then we have until 4ish. I told my mom we would go over early because she wants to see you."

By the time he got out of the shower and walked into his bedroom, his bed had been made, her clothes folded neatly on top, and something delicious was wafting up from the kitchen.

He walked downstairs in a v-neck shirt and sweatpants to find her standing at the stove. The radio was on and she was singing along softly. He realized it was one of the songs he had written with his brothers and it became a smash hit. Little did she know that it was written about her.

She finished cooking and set two plates laden with pancakes and sausage on the island. 2 glasses of O.J. already sat on the counter.

"You didn't have to do all this," he told her, but she shook her head.

"I figured I would return the favor because you let me stay here overnight." Also on the table was his Omnipod and his testing kit.

As they sat down to eat brunch, he couldn't help but marvel at her.

It was as if she had never left his life.

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so???? what did you think???

let me knowwww

xo


	3. Chapter 3

alright here is part 3 of 4......hope you like it! (this is the longest of the 4 chapters)

if anyone is confused, just PM me and ill explain.

**Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own anything.**

For the past 3 hours, they have been reconnecting. Yet, its seems like the two were never apart. It was as if she still lived in his house. It was as if they were still a couple.

They had spent the afternoon watching favorite movies and reminiscing about years past. Currently, they were curled up on his couch with various types of sugar free junk food on the table before them.

"Do you remember the night you met my dad? I think we were 15. You were so scared," she said, trying to keep a straight face.

"I was not! I was just pretending to be nervous. "I'm an actor, that's what I do"," he retaliated, quoting one of her lines from her old TV show.

He laughed as she rolled her eyes at him and he looked at the clock. 3:30. They had a half an hour until they had to leave.

"I'm going to go change, and then we'll leave, yeah?" he said, and she nodded.

They both made their way upstairs into his bedroom. He disappeared into the bathroom, leaving her to get changed in peace. She didn't have any other clothes besides the ones she wore last night, so she decided to make do with what she could. She stole one of his white button down shirts from his closet and threw her black belt over that, cinching it at her waist. She put the same jeans on that she wore last night and her black Uggs. Just as she was finishing getting dressed, he emerged from the bathroom, wearing a grey button down and tight black jeans. His hair was slightly tousled, and she could just smell a hint of aftershave mixed with his cologne.

She breezed past him and into the bathroom where she found her toothbrush from forever ago and his gel that she knew he kept hidden. Squirting a palmful into her hand, she ran the gel through her hair, scrunching every so often. Soon enough, her hair was curly and thick. She brushed her teeth, then looked at the woman in the mirror staring back at her.

The woman in the mirror was not who she was. This woman was pale and thin. There was no glow to her almost white skin. She lost all her muscle. You could see her ribs underneath her shirt. Her eyes no longer held that sparkle. She looked unhealthy. And truthfully? The woman in the mirror scared the hell out of the woman standing in the bathroom. She did not want him to see her like this anymore. She vowed to get her life back on track, and get the other one out of her life. As her eyes traced over her body in the mirror, she noticed shadows of bruises and faint imprints of hands from him hitting her. Her hand came up and touched the thick Band-Aid that was on her neck. The skin felt tender to the touch. As she stood in front of the vanity, she didn't notice him come in asking, "Are you ready--?" He stopped short as she stood there motionless. She was mesmerized with what the other one had done to her and her life. She was amazed that she had put up with everything the way she did. He made to stand behind her and placed his hand over top hers that was on her neck.

"There was a pretty bad cut there, but don't worry. I cleaned it up."

She turned around so that she was facing him, her arms going around his neck, his arms dropping to her waist.

"I know I shouldn't be doing this," he said, "but at the same time, it feels so right." she finished.

They both leaned in and their lips met in the middle in a sweet, sinful kiss. A kiss neither of them had experienced since being with each other. A kiss filled with love, sadness, guilt, and passion.

They pulled away when the need for air became necessary, smiling. "Can I ask you something?" she said.

"Anything."

"Will you help me get my life back together? I don't want you to see me like this anymore."

He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. "I'll do anything for you. I told you that more than 5 years ago and I still mean it today."

He smiled and took her hand. "Come on. We're gong to be late."

She smiled. "Let's not keep Mama G. waiting." He smiled at the nickname she had given his mother.

As they walked down the stairs, he realized that he wanted to grab something to bring to his mothers.

"Wait here, I'll be right back. I forgot to get something."

She looked at him in bewilderment, but he bolted up the stairs two at a time. He went to his nightstand drawer, and found what he was looking for. Tucking it into his pocket, he went back downstairs and found her exactly where she was before.

As they walked out to his car, he realized that she had one of his button down shirts on.

"Nice shirt, by the way," he said, smirking.

"Well, would you rather me go naked? And besides, my shirt smelled like hard liquor. It made me sick."

They drove to his parents house in a comfortable silence; there was really no need for talking.

When they got to his parents house, she took a minute to remember all the good times she had here. She was pulled out of her mind when he rang the doorbell.

His mother pulled open the door. "Miley! How nice to see you, honey. It has been way too long." she engulfed her a much needed hug.

He just stood there, watching her and his mother interact. "Gee, thanks Mom, glad to know I'm welcome here as well," he said teasingly, and his mother let go of her and embraced him.

"Oh, don't be silly, Nicholas, you know I love you just as much."

As they walked through the house, she caught glimpses of pictures from years past.

"Now, Miley, what happened to you, darling? Nicholas said that something had come up, and that you needed his help," his mother said, as they settled themselves in the family room.

"Denise, if you don't mind, I would like to tell everyone at the same time. I think it would be better for me and for everyone to hear it from me. I'll just tell you that I'm going to need your help filing divorce papers." (Denise is a lawyer in this fic)

"Of course sweetie, I think you are quite right. The others should be here in a few minutes."

They both followed his mother into the kitchen where they helped her with whatever else needed to be done for dinner. He tossed together a Caesar salad while she helped set the table. The door opened and in walked his eldest brother with his wife and son. Paul Kevin Grey II was very polished, quiet and reserved. His wife, Danielle, was just the opposite. The two had been childhood neighbors and friends and started dating about 8 years ago. Their son, David, was 3 years old.

"Miley! What a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting you here," the eldest said, as he gave her a hug that she missed receiving.

"Hey, Kev, I missed you too."

"Miley, it's been a while, how are you?" Danielle said, giving the girl a hug as well. The two had become close while each was dating their respective brother.

"Um, at the moment, not alright, but I'll be better. I'll explain before dinner." Danielle gave her a puzzled look, but at a glance from her brother-in-law she dropped the subject.

The front door opened again and in walked the middle brother with his wife, Lilly. Joseph Adam Grey was known as "Danger" in his teen years, but since then has grown up and become quite a gentleman. His wife, Lilly, was his best friend for 13 years before they started dating. Lilly, coincidently, was very good friends with her when they stared together in her TV show. The two lost touch after she married him.

"Miley! I've missed you!" the middle brother exclaimed, as he engulfed her in one of his classic bear hugs.

"Joe, I love you to death, but kinda can't breathe." she said, and he instantly let go.

"Miley, you look terrible, what happened to you?" Lilly pressed as the two girls exchanged hugs, and she said, "let's go into the family room. I have something to tell you all."

As everyone else exchanged greetings, she sat down on the couch next to the youngest brother, and immediately the other two sat down on either side of her, the middle one on her right side.

"Miley, honey, you don't have to tell us everything that happened. It's alright if there is something you don't want to say."

"No it's okay. I need to tell you everything so you can understand everything."

She took a deep breath, and the youngest reached for her hand. The middle brother did the same thing, and the eldest rested a hand on her thigh.

"I got married to Jake Ryan about a year ago. We dated for six months before he asked me to marry him. I was hoping against hope that he would heal my broken heart, but I figured out not too long after my marriage that my heart would never be fixed by him. Things were alright with us. He went away often to film movies, and I was left to clean his house and be his little trophy wife." Her tone was laced with bitterness. "But I cried myself to sleep every night. I was not happy at all. Once, he accused me of cheating on him because he had seen a picture of me standing next to someone in a store. The person had bumped into me and dropped his purchase. I helped him gather his things and the paparazzi snapped a picture just as our hands touched. I retaliated against him by bringing up the various women he had been having affairs with during filming. That was when he started hitting me. He abused me verbally and physically. He told me he wanted me thinner, so I started skipping meals. Anything I did was not enough." She looked over to Lilly and Danielle; their eyes were glassy with tears.

"Last night, he came home drunk and started kissing me roughly. Then he proceeded to throw a vase at me, which I avoided, and then he started hitting me again. I away ran from him to our bathroom and locked the door. My wedding ring fell off as I opened the window. I escaped out the window and ran to Nick's house. I woke him up by knocking on his balcony door before collapsing in his arms, sobbing." Her eyes had filled with tears; it was hard recollecting the memory when it was so raw and fresh in her mind. She had been concentrating on trying to forget what happened, but doing that, she knew, would be a temporary Band-Aid on something that would leave an everlasting imprint.

He and his brothers had placed their arms around the broken woman sitting with them.

He picked up the story from here.

"I took her into my room and just held her while she cried. It was around 1 a.m. when she stopped crying. I convinced her to stay at my house and sleep there. There was no way in hell, excuse my French, Mom, that I was letting her go back to where he was. I want to keep her away from him as long as possible. I finally fell asleep around 2:30 in the morning and woke up around 9:30. She asked me how she got to be at my house, and I told her everything. Then she told me what had caused her to run away from her husband. We were looking through old photo albums and just remembering the good times. She showered, and then she made breakfast while I showered. I cancelled lunch today," he looked at his brothers, "because I wanted to know what had happened to her and why. I hope you can forgive me."

"Don't worry about it. This was more important than lunch with us. We understand, right Joe?"

"Absolutely, little bro. We'll just reschedule."

Lilly chimed in. "Miley, if your wedding ring fell off, then what ring is that on your hand?"

She looked down at her left hand, then looked up at him. He nodded, his eyes telling her it was okay to tell the truth.

"This ring actually belongs to Nick. He gave it to me earlier today. We didn't tell you this because we thought that everyone, including Mama G., would be disappointed in us. 4 years after we started dating, I decided that I was ready to give him my virginity. He was more understanding than anyone I knew, maybe because he kept the same vow, I don't know. But one thing I did know was that I wanted to give myself to him. I remember him repeatedly asking me if I was 100% sure about doing it. And afterwards, I had no regrets. We made it as special as it could possibly be. He even said the same thing. It brought us to another emotional level that we had yet to experience."

She looked around to him, and saw that he, along with everyone else, was looking at her in awe and amazement.

"He had wanted to give me his ring that night, but we both fell asleep and I left early that morning to go record some songs. He said that the ring was 'rightfully mine, and that it did no good for him to live behind a lie.' Which reminds me,"she trailed off, and her hands went to the silver chain around her neck, "this is rightfully yours as well, since it doesn't do any good for me to live behind a lie." She took a ring off the necklace, took his hand and placed it in his palm. Then she closed his fingers around it.

He opened his hand and studied the ring in his palm. True Love Waits was inscribed on the ring, and he realized that this was her own purity ring. Undoing the clasp to his dog tag, he slipped the ring onto the chain and re-clasped the chain. Tucking it under his shirt, he pressed a kiss to her temple, murmuring, "thank you."

His mother stood up. "Well everyone, let's go eat dinner. I don't want everything getting cold." Everyone followed Denise into the dining room and sat at their respective places. He sat next to her, and noticed she was trembling. He didn't bother asking her what was wrong, because he already knew. He could sense that somehow, she thought that he would find her and hurt her because she voiced what had caused her to leave him.

He placed a reassuring hand on her thigh and she instantly calmed down. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Come find me after you talk to my mom." Her face brightened up with curiosity, and she gave him a puzzled look. He only smiled and winked.

After dinner was finished, everyone except his mother and her ventured into the living room. Danielle and Lilly offered to do the dishes while their husbands entertained David.

He, other the other hand, went up to his old room where he kept his old guitars, and took one of his acoustic guitars off the stand. He made his way outside to his backyard where he sat on the hammock strung between two honeysuckle trees. He was certain she would find him here, as this spot held tender moments of their previous relationship.

Pulling a pick from his pocket, he started messing around with some chords.

Slowly and silently, she made her way throughout the house, stopping in every place she thought that he would be. No luck. She racked her brain trying to remember the days of her relationship. A sudden thought came to her. She went outside to the backyard, recollecting that the hammock was the first place they had kissed. It was also where he asked her to be his girlfriend, and it was where he told her he loved her.

She silently made her way to the hammock, where she could see the faint silhouette of her only lover. He was lying on the hammock longways, strumming his guitar softly. She sat down on the edge of the hammock, but he did not falter in his playing.

The music changed, and he started playing the first song he ever recorded with his brothers. She recognized the song instantly, and began to hum along. She joined in on the last chorus, and her voice intermingled with his. She knew that this song described exactly what she wanted in life, and he was that person to give it to her.

_But I'll be there forever  
You will see that it's better  
All our hopes and our dreams, they will come true  
I will not disappoint you,  
I will be right there for you  
Till the end, the end of time  
Please be mine._

Once he was finished, she held her hand out for the guitar and he silently handed it to her, along with the pick. She strummed a few chords, trying to get the feel of her music back into her body. She didn't play the entire song, just the parts she wanted him to hear.

_I remember when we kissed  
I still feel it on my lips  
The time that you danced with me, with no music playing.  
I remember those simple things,  
I remember till I cry.  
But the one thing I wish I'd forget  
The memory I wanna forget  
Is Goodbye._

_Suddenly, my cell phone's blowing up with your ringtone.  
I hesitate but answer it anyway,  
You sound so alone._

_And I'm surprised to hear you say-ay..._

He remembered hearing this song on her CD that was released a month after their breakup. He joined in with her on the last chorus.

_You remembered when we kissed  
You still feel it on your lips  
The time that you danced with me, with no music playing.  
You remember the simple things,  
We talk till we cry.  
You said that your biggest regret  
The one thing you wish I'd forget I  
s saying Goodbye.  
Saying Goodbye, ooh  
__Goodbye...._

As they both hit the last note, they looked straight into each other's eyes. She slowly placed the pick in the top of the strings and laid the guitar on the soft earth beneath them.

"The memory I'd like to forget," she said, "is saying goodbye to you."

"The memory I'd like to cherish forever," he countered, "is last night, when you showed up at my balcony."

"And why that memory?"

"Why? Because God brought you back into my life when I needed it the most. I wasn't planning on telling anyone this, not even my brothers, but I was thinking about ending my life within the next few days. I couldn't handle seeing you with someone else after you were my everything for 5 years. Regardless of whether I was the one who broke your heart, I had broken my own heart a thousand times worse when I let you go. As I watched you walk away from me and out of my life, I had a small glimmer of hope that I would wake up and this would be all a dream. But when I woke up last night and saw you standing there on my balcony, everything that I had been planning was pushed out of my mind. I saw how broken you were, and I knew it was partly because of me. I vowed that night, as I watched you sleep, to never think those thoughts again." His eyes had begun to gloss over with tears.

Her eyes were filled with tears, and she placed her hands on either side of his face.. "If news got out that you had ended your life, I would ended my life as well. You are a part of me, no matter who I dated or who I married. You are my other half, and I wouldn't have it any other way." She pulled him into a slow, meaningful kiss, pouring every emotion she felt towards him into it. She could feel and taste the salty tears that were pouring down his face as well as her own. She pulled away, her hands not leaving his face.

"It probably isn't right for me to be saying this, after deciding that I'm getting a divorce, but I don't think I could keep this in much longer. I'd like to try our relationship again. I don't think I could live without you by my side."

He surprised her by giving her a quick kiss on the lips then getting off the hammock. "What are you doing?" she inquired. He did not say anything, but instead dug around in his pocket for something.

"Something I should have done a long time ago."

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10 reviews for epilogue!

xo

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	4. Epilogue

so here it is....the epilogue to The Moment I Said It!! I really liked writing this story...i hope everyone who read it enjoyed it as well. Let me know what you think!!!

**Disclaimer: sigh...wishing i owned something....**

_5 years later_

A young woman, about 25, lay in the hammock, the dogwood blossoms falling slowly around her to the ground. She was immersed in her book, as the spring sun hung low in the sky. As she swayed back and forth, the sun caught the glimmer of her wedding ring on her left hand. On her right hand sat his purity ring. It was warm for March, and she was enjoying it before the April showers came.

As she marked her place in her book, she absentmindedly rubbed her swollen abdomen. She smiled when she felt the little flutter of kicks at her touch. She still had 5 more months to go, and then she would welcome a little life into the world.

The silhouette of a young man, about 25 years of age as well, came into the backyard, carrying two glasses. She saw him coming and made room for him to lie down beside her. He put the glasses on the table underneath the tree, and sat down next to her. He kissed her once on the forehead, once on the lips, then proceeded to kiss her swollen midsection twice. She laughed lightly as the little one inside of her gave his/her response to their father.

"Hi, my angels," he said softly, as he settled down beside her.

"Hey daddy," she said, lacing her hand through his, as he placed his other hand on her stomach. They lay there in a comfortable silence, just taking in each others presence.

She let her thoughts wander elsewhere, taking her back 5 years ago, to the day that allowed her to start over and to become a wife and mother.

"_What are you doing?" she inquired._

_He did not say anything, but instead dug around in his pocket for something. _

"_Something I should have done a long time ago." _

_He moved to stand in front of her, as she shifted on the hammock to face him. _

_He took her hand in his own, and started to speak. _

"_Miley, I regret everything I said to you that made you leave 5 years ago. I knew the minute after you left that I had just made the biggest mistake of my life, letting you go. Since I knew that there was no way that you would ever take me back, I threw myself into my music, shutting myself away from the world. I refused to date anyone else, and had a hard time getting out and about. My brothers were constantly worried about me, and they thought you were the one who split us up. Once they figured out that I was the one who screwed up, they were even more on edge. They noticed my change in behavior, and at first blamed my diabetes. But they eventually figured out that I was spiraling downwards in depression. I went to a psychiatrist, just for them, and made them believe that I was getting better. But I wasn't. You are my first love, and my only love. If you didn't show up last night, I wouldn't be here right now."_

"_I was planning on doing this before we got into that huge fight, so Miley Rae," he got down on one knee, "will you give me another chance to be in your life again?" _

"_Will you marry me?"_

_He produced a small box from his pocket, and opened it. Inside was a beautiful princess cut white gold diamond ring. _

_She looked at him once, looked at the ring, then back at him._

_She uttered one word that would change both of their lives. FOREVER._

"_Yes." _

As she came out of her thoughts, she became aware that he was now rubbing tiny circles on her belly, as their child was being restless, and a small smile came to her face.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked her, looking her in the eyes.

"Oh nothing," she said, giving him a brief kiss, "just the day that changed my life for good."

"And what day would that be, my lovely wife?"

"The day you asked me to marry you, in your backyard, underneath the honeysuckle tree, on the hammock. You gave me a chance to start over. You've given me the chance to be a wife to an amazing man. You've also given me the opportunity to become a mother in a few months. I couldn't ask for anything more."

"Well, you also gave me another chance to be with such an amazing woman. Had you not come to my balcony in the middle of the night, all this might have never happened. If I knew what I was doing, I wouldn't have let you go 5 years ago. But right now, I wouldn't trade this moment, lying here with you, for anything else in the world."

She kissed him long and full, both of them laughing when they felt their child kick, breaking the tender moment up.

"So, I've been thinking," she said, "about names."

"Admittedly, so have I," he said, and she chuckled.

"Well, what do you think for a girl? I like Sadie Marie."

"Sadie Marie Grey. That has a nice ring to it. I was thinking Tiler Paige, and we would spell it T-I-L-E-R. It's unique but not entirely different."

"I like your choice. Tiler Paige Grey." she smiled.

"Okay, now what about for a boy?"

"I like Jesse, or Zak, spelled with a 'k'."

"What about Brandon Thomas?" he suggested, and her eyes lit up.

"Ooh, I like that. Brandon Thomas Grey."

"So it's settled. Tiler Paige for a girl and Brandon Thomas for a boy." he kissed her softly.

They lay outside in the hammock until well after the sun goes down, each of them silently thanking God for second chances.

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love it? hate it?

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